Bomb head base structure



March 10, 1959 G. A. LYON BOMB HEAD BASE STRUCTURE Filed April 26,1954

v B I l 8 $20 l/erz/lyon v United States Patent The present invention relates to improvements in the base structures of bomb heads, and more particularly structures. 1 (Inbombs to be dropped from aircraft for penetration into a target before detonation, impact of the tip or nose of the head portion of the bomb against the target is accompanied by great internal stresses in the bomb structure and more especially in the base portion of .the bomb head tending to burst the base portion and cause premature detonation or escape of the explosive charge. This condition is especially true in low drag, streamlined bombs of more recent development wherein the base portion of the head is apertured and has secured therein a machined insert member.

' It is, accordingly, an important object'of the present invention to provide a novel bomb head base assembly "concerns a novel interlocking base assembly for such in which the components mutually cooperate to resist internal stresses.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel interlocking relationship between a bomb head base rim and a base insert ring member. A further object of the invention is to provide a novel bomb head base and insert ring assembly wherein a multi-interlock'ed relationship is attained as an incident to securing the insert ring in place.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which: g n I Figure 1' is a sectional and bottom plan View of a bomb head base construction embodying thefeatures of the invention, taken substantially on the line I-I of Figure 2; and

. Figure 2 is an enlarged diametrical sectional view taken substantially on the line II-II of'l-Tigure 1.

I In the drawings only as much of a low drag' bomb structure is shown as involves the base construction of the head portion of the bomb. In such a bomb structure,

an elongated streamlined headcor nprising either a builtup or drawn, Streamlined shell 5 is provided with'a base Patented Mar. 10, 1958 At the inside of the head shell 5, the base portion 7 is provided with 'a substantial radius fillet 14 and a,substantial thickness of the base portion is provided adjacent the shoulder 9 and extending radially inwardly therefrom to an annular rearwardly projecting flange 15 providing a rearwardly tapered inner wall 17 defining a centra opening through the base wall 7 of the shell.

Secured into the central opening of the base 7 of the head shell is a ring member 18 provided with a frustoconically shaped external wall portion 19 complementary to and engageable within the tapered wall 17 of the base flange 1'5. Carried by the forward portion of the ring insert 18 are forwardly projecting pins 20 adapted to have cooperative relation with a charge to be loaded into the chamber within'the head shell 5. Operating mechanism for the bomb is adapted to be received in a central opening 21 in the ring member 18 defined by an appropriately contoured internal wall for the ring member. Because of the central opening in the shell base 7, internal stresses within the head shell 5 on impact with target'may tend to spread the base 7 apart and thus interfere with the proper functioning of the bomb. In order to elfectively resist such tendency on the part of the base portion 7, a mutually interlocking and spread resistant connection of the ring member 18 to the base 7 is provided. To this end, the ring member 18 is provided with an inner end radially outwardly extending annular flange 22 to underlie the base flange 15 and merge with a return directed, forwardly extending annular attachment flange 23 defining with the body of the ring 18 an annular forwardly opening groove 24 within which the base flange 15 is engaged. p v

In attaching the ring member 18 to the base 7, internal threads 25 on the ring flange 23 are interengaged with complementary external threads 27 on the-base flange 15, thereby drawing the ring 18 forwardly into the central opening defined by the tapered wall 17 of the base. Through this arrangement, it will be observed that the base flange 15 is interlocked with the ring 18 within the groove 24 against radial spreading of the base 7 under severe internal stress within the bomb head shell.

Additional reinforcement against such radial spreading is accomplished by interlocking the ring flange 23 with the head shell base 7. To this end, the base 7 radially outwardly of the juncture of the flange 15 with the rearwardly facing portion of the base is provided with an annular groove 28 into which the forward tip portion or edge of the ring flange 23 fits snugly in assembly. The interlocking relationship is improved by having the cooperating abutting surfaces within the groove 28 and the ridge or tip of the flange 23 sloping generally radially outwardly and axially forwardly, ob-

portion 7 to which is attached a tailunit 8 which may have a set of flight controlling fins (not shown). The tail cone 8 is lightweight quite thin walled member since it is not required to support any appreciable internal load. For attachment of the tail cone 8 to the base end of the head 5, an annular rearwardly directed outer marginal shoulder 9 is provided on the base portion 7 provided with a plurality of rearwardly opening dowel pin holes 10 within which are half received dowel pins 11 which project rearwardly from the shoulder 9 and are engaged within registering dowel pin holes 12 provided in an internal ring collar member 13 which abuts the shoulder 9 and is secured to the inside of the forward margin of the tail cone 8 in such a manner that the outer periphery of the tail cone merges smoothly and in streamlined fashion with the outer periphery of the head shell 5.

lique to the axis of the head shell and so that radially outwardly tapering rearwardly oblique generally frustoconical' annular face 29 on the flange 23 will shoulder against an opposing complementary interlock shoulder 30 formed on the base at the radially outer side of the groove 28.

For maintaining the tail cone 8 solidly centered with respect to the head shell 5, the ring flange 23 is provided with a radially outwardly facing annular centering rib shoulder 31 engageable with a close sliding fit with the inner face of the attachment collar 13 of the tail cone.

It will be observed that in implementation of the bursting or radially outward deformation resistance cooperation of the base assembly for the head shell 5, the general wall thickness of the base portion 7 including the fillet portion 14 is substantially greater throughout than the general wall thickness of the shell 5, so that the strategic unit cross-section mass of material is disposed to afford the functionally most advantageous disposition. To this end, also, the base flange is provided with a massive cross-sectional area at juncture with the base wall 7 to afford high shear resistance.

Similarly, the base insert ring member 18 is constructed of large cross-sectional unit mass in the portions thereof liable to greatest stress, as for example, in the attachment and interlock flange 23 thereof and its connection to the lateral flange 22 of the ring. It will also be noted that the flange 22 is of large cross-sectional mass, inclusive of its juncture with the body of the ring member 18.

Even though substantial mass is provided in the base assembly of the bomb head, the total mass is minimized. and thus a satisfactory weight ratio to the remainder of the bomb structure is maintained, by virtue of the novel mutually interlocking relationship of the base components.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a bomb construction, a had shell, a tail shell, said head shell having a base structure with a central opening therein, said tail shell having an abutment end portion attachable to said base and provided with an internal annular attachment ring member of a thickness to enable endwise doweled connection thereof to said base, and an insert member attachable in said opening and having an annular shoulder thereon engageable internally within said ring member for maintaining said tail shell 'in predetermined centered relation relative to said head shell.

2. In a bomb head construction, a shell having a base wall of substantial unit mass provided with an axial opening of substantial diameter, a circular insert member attachable in said opening, said base having an axially rearwardly extending annular flange about said opening, said insert member having an axially forwardly directed annular groove of greater depth than said flange, one of the walls defining said groove and the opposing surface of said flange having interengageable threads for drawing up the insert member into said opening, said base having an axially rearwardly opening annular groove radially outwardly at juncture of said flange therewith, and the insert member having an axially forwardly directed radially outer annular flange interlockingly engageable in said base groove as an incident to-drawing up of the insert member as aforesaid.

3. In a projectile construction, a head shell having an annular rearwardly facing shoulder at the margin of the base thereof, a tail shell abutting and attached to said shoulder with the outer longitudinal surfaces of the head and tail shells substantially flush, said head shell base having a rearwardly projecting annular flange defining a central opening and with the radially outer side of the flange spaced substantially radially inwardly from said base shoulder, a circular insert member disposed in said opening and having an annular groove therein within which said flange is engaged, an annular forwardly projecting flange on the insert member defining the radially outer side of said groove, and a shoulder on said base spaced radially outwardly from said base flange, and inset from said base rearwardly facing shoulder, interlockingly engaged with said insert flange to resist radial deflection thereof.

4. In a projectile construction, a shell member having a wall defining a chamber and a base afforded with a central opening into the shell chamber and defined by a rearwardly extending annular flange inset from the longitudinal wall of the shell member, an insert member engageable within said opening and having an annular forwardly opening groove within which said flange is engageable, a wall defining said groove and said flange having interengageable threads for drawing said insert into snug assembly with said base, and lateral thrust resisting shoulders on said base radially outwardly from said flange and at the forward outer corner of said insert radially outwardly from said groove disposed on oblique angle relative to the axis of the shell toward a forward point of coincidence.

5. In a bomb construction, a head shell member of unitary one-piece construction including a side wall and a base wall joined thereto, the base being of substantial unit mass and having a circular opening entirely therethrough, and an insert plug-like member secured in said opening, said base and said insert member having respective oppositely opening annular grooves therein and respective complementary annular axially extending flanges engageablein said grooves for interlocking the base and the insert member against radially outward spreading due to internal pressures within the head shell.

6. In a bomb construction, a head shell member of unitary one-piece construction including a side wall and a base wall joined thereto, the base being of substantial unit mass and having a circular opening entirely therethrough, an insert plug-like member secured in said opening, said base and said insert member having respective oppositely opening annular grooves therein and respective complementary annular axially extending flanges engageable in said grooves for interlocking the base and the insert member against radially outward spreading due to internal pressures within the head shell, and a tail member having a forward end portion engageable with said base about said insert member and said insert member having a radially outwardly facing annular centering shoulder thereon engageable within said for ward end portion of the tail member for holding the tail member centered with respect to the head shell.

ReferenceszCited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

